We 'Stole' a Phone From Google's Sameer Samat and Were Dazzled by Android 16

On a sunny bench next to an Android statue at Google HQ, Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem, had his phone stolen. And it wasn't the first time Samat saw his Pixel phone nicked. In fact, on the day I visited, Samat had his phone nabbed four separate times by a man running past. It was all part of a demo to show off Android 16's expanded Theft Detection Lock: As soon as Samat's phone was grabbed, it locked itself down and showed a message on the lock screen that read, "Theft detection, device auto-locked." Theft Detection, introduced with Android 15, is one of several new and expanded features in Android 16 that are focused on safety and security. The new OS has three main pillars: a significant UI overhaul called Material 3 Expressive, support for Gemini on more devices, and safety and security tools. CNET sat down for an interview with Samat, and his genuine enthusiasm for Android 16 and what it means for customers shone through. "Android 16 is one of our biggest relea ... Read full article.